


Support Beam

by steorra (meraki_saki)



Category: Octopath Traveler (Video Game)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-19
Updated: 2018-08-19
Packaged: 2019-06-29 10:57:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15727986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meraki_saki/pseuds/steorra
Summary: "I... we will support you and be there for you, helping with anything that you need.""Yeah? Anything?"





	Support Beam

**Author's Note:**

> set post-Therion's chapter 3

**Support Beam**

“You aren’t going to sleep yet?”

Therion didn’t respond, keeping his gaze focused on the sky. Ophilia waited another moment before deciding to seat herself next to him.

“Well you know with the pace that we're going, we'll likely arrive in the Frostlands soon. Though Northreach is still quite far..”

Ophilia stopped herself from rambling further to glance over to him again. He still had not said a word, his eyes transfixed in the distance, seemingly deep in his own thoughts.

“Therion...” she began, but stopped herself.

“Something the matter?” he finally asked, glancing over to her when he noticed she stopped speaking.

‘ _I believe I should be asking you that..._ ’

She could still remember Therion’s face when he first saw Darius in the caverns, that flash of recognition, his eyes filled with a mixture of emotions that she could not identify. She had never seen him react like that before. 

Though she knew better. Everyone has faced their own hardships, certain trials that shaped their very person. He did not need to share if he did not wish to do so, especially with her...

“Ophilia?”

The sound of her name caught her attention, breaking her of her trance.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I just wanted to tell you that I know that seeing that Darius fellow must have been difficult for you...” She watched Therion tense at the sound of his name. “I may not know what happened between you two, but when we do cross paths with him again, I just wanted to let you know that I...  _we_  will support you and be there for you, helping with anything that you need.”

Again silence.

Though she could sense it, his gaze boring into her, completely unreadable. She gripped the sleeves of her robes tightly and dropped her gaze to the floor, trying her hardest to fight a flush rising from her neck.

‘ _I knew I should have just let it be... I’m making this awkward._ ’

“I’m sorry. I’ll just–“

“Yeah? Anything?”

She froze when he gently raised her chin to face him.

All of a sudden he was close, much too close for her comfort. She could only sit there, motionless, fixated on his face, noting his eyes shining with a light she had never seen before.

His hand moved from her chin and gently brushed a lock from her face.

"T-Therion?"

Her eyes widened when he suddenly leaned forward. Her heart was pounding. Her mind was frazzled, unsure what was going on, what he was doing, how she should even react.

‘ _...and what am I expecting him to do?_ ’

She swallowed a lump when he paused a moment, searching her face, studying her reaction.

She flinched when she felt him lightly poked her forehead.

“You should stop worrying about me. I’m fine,” he said as he moved away from her, setting his gaze out into the distance. “...but thanks for saying that.”

It took her a moment - _perhaps a moment longer than she expected_ \- to fully process what he had just said, clearly befuddled by the odd turn of events.

Finally, her body relaxed. She waved away those strange thoughts, discounting them as part of her overactive imagination, and simply smiled.

“You should be more careful, Therion. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you’re starting to open up a little.”

He snorted. “Yeah, right...”

She chuckled and rose to her feet. “You should rest. It will still be a while before we reach the next town.”

He only nodded her head, showing no indications of moving quite yet.

Her gaze softened. Her hand reached forward, hesitant, before settling for a light touch on his shoulder. “Please don’t stay up too late. Good night, Therion.”

“...night.”

* * *

 “I’m opening up, huh...” he repeated aloud to himself, wanting to laugh at such an absurd notion.

Though he knew deep down that it was oddly true. 

As much as he did not want to, he just found it so easy to relax around her, a sort of easiness he had not felt in a long time. If he was not careful, he could find completely disarmed by her warm smile and gentle eyes.

' _And what was I thinking of doing..._ '

He didn’t know what came over him either. It was like his body had a mind of its own. He did not even realize that his hand reached over to raise her gaze to his, move that errant lock from her face, him actually leaning forward to close the distance...

He caught himself before he did anything rash, of course. He could imagine their fellow travelers giving him a thrashing if he did. Still, a part of him could not help, but wonder...

He shook his head. He should not be thinking of such things right now. He had his own personal issues to contend with, a request to fulfill, a score to settle.

Still, he found his mind wandering, thinking about that gentle warmth that lingered on his shoulder, of that odd feeling emanating from his chest.

He caught himself, surprised, but only smirked in bemusement.

If Ophilia ever got bored with religious work, he should talk to her about being a thief. Especially since she was able to steal something even he did not think could be stolen.


End file.
